5 years ago today: Pearl Jam in Nashville......
that's how long it's been since I last saw the boys. hoping to break the record by making it to Bonnaroo, but that's another story......
April 18, 2003: sophomore year of college, me and some buddies experienced one interesting show at AmSouth Amphitheatre, formerly Starwood Amphitheatre (RIP). in those days, I was still little more than a casual PJ fan. I knew most of their songs and enjoyed the show just like any fan would, but I still had no idea that I was witnessing one of the most unique shows of that tour. I had no idea who Cheetah Chrome was, who Steve Earl was, etc. and I still wasn't aware of PJ's characteristics as a band, such as that they change their setlists every night... so I was definitely one of the guys who noticed "Jeremy" missing from the set. I remember thinking even then how much Sleater-Kinney sucked ass, especially when Eddie invited them back on stage during the encore. if only I had been the fan then that I am now, I'd have been even more blown away by this show. I remember pretty much having the wind knocked out of me when I heard them play the first chord of Oceans as the set opener. it was magic. I remember seeing so many people leave while flipping off the band after their Bushleaguer stunt. ah... the memories.... so here are some old pictures I dug up from that night for your enjoyment if you can stand the blur in some. if any of you have the boot for this show, give it a spin! it was definitely one of the most different shows of the tour......
April 18, 2003: sophomore year of college, me and some buddies experienced one interesting show at AmSouth Amphitheatre, formerly Starwood Amphitheatre (RIP). in those days, I was still little more than a casual PJ fan. I knew most of their songs and enjoyed the show just like any fan would, but I still had no idea that I was witnessing one of the most unique shows of that tour. I had no idea who Cheetah Chrome was, who Steve Earl was, etc. and I still wasn't aware of PJ's characteristics as a band, such as that they change their setlists every night... so I was definitely one of the guys who noticed "Jeremy" missing from the set. I remember thinking even then how much Sleater-Kinney sucked ass, especially when Eddie invited them back on stage during the encore. if only I had been the fan then that I am now, I'd have been even more blown away by this show. I remember pretty much having the wind knocked out of me when I heard them play the first chord of Oceans as the set opener. it was magic. I remember seeing so many people leave while flipping off the band after their Bushleaguer stunt. ah... the memories.... so here are some old pictures I dug up from that night for your enjoyment if you can stand the blur in some. if any of you have the boot for this show, give it a spin! it was definitely one of the most different shows of the tour......
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ps, cool pics too.
Meeting Eddie Vedder
In Nashville, after the sound check, behind the stage, Ed walked up to a crowd of about 20 of us and shook our hands. He showed interest in each person, really looking like he cared for us.
Then I had the opportunity to shake his hand, and asked, “Any chance for ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’ – it’s my wife’s first show tonight.”
He looked like he was really contemplating it as if he wanted to make it work, but didn’t think he could saying, “We’re pretty full on encore songs tonight. Is there a chance of making it to another show?”
I shrugged and gave an “I don’t know” reply since my wife was not planning to go to any more shows on the tour.
He started to move on to shake hands with the others and then he looked back at me with a smile, like he figured out a way to make it work saying, “Maybe to open the show.”
I said, “We’ll be there.”
Before the show, we went to our front row seats (thanks to the Ten Club) and then Ed came out with his guitar. The first chord of ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’ started and tears started rolling down my wife’s face as we sang and danced loving ‘our song’ played in front of 15,000 people.
support act: Sleater-Kinney
s
oundcheck: Parting Ways, Oceans, Present Tense (several times)
preset: Throw Your Arms Around Me (Ed solo)
set: Oceans, Love Boat Captain, Breakerfall, Gods' Dice, Save You, Do The Evolution, Cropduster, Light Years, MFC, Deep, Even Flow, Daughter/(ABitW)/(Androgynous Mind), Insignificance, Parting Ways, Better Man/(Wild Thing), Rearviewmirror
enc 1: Free Jazz, Elderly Woman, Know Your Rights, Bushleaguer, Alive, Sonic Reducer
enc 2: Leaving Here, Fortunate Son, Rockin' In The Free World
notes: Opening with 'Oceans' and then totally just hammering it in with hard rocking out songs and amazing high energy from everyone. Ed feeds off the crowd a lot, in very high spirits. 'Light Years' is dedicated to someone that recently passed way that was close to someone they know -- simply beautiful. Before 'Even Flow,' Ed says, "I know this next song so well I could have a cigarette, have a drink, brush my teeth, take a shit and mow the lawn all at the same time while singing it. I'll only be doing a couple of those things during this version," and he puts a cig in his mouth but has no lighter. He motions for one of the crew for a lighter, but no one helps him. Suddenly approx. 10 lighters fly out of the crowd. Ed catches one ("All right, we got enough!"), lights the smoke and throws it right back to the guy that tossed it up to him. The 'Wild Thing' (a 60s song by The Troggs) tag on 'Better Man' is totally random and the crowd loves it. Before 'Free Jazz,' Ed says, "We're gonna try this one out, this is a new song on our next album," and they play this out of tune session with Ed snapping his fingers out of rhythm. At the"scream HELLO" part of 'Elderly Woman,' the crowd does a loud "Hello!" but it is super loud and Ed says, "Jesus Christ" right after it. 'Bushleaguer' finally returns after the Denver outcry. Ed takes the stage wearing the silver glitter jacket and the Bush mask. When he removes it, he goes to set it on the stand and says something about not violently putting it down: "see?" During the song, Ed sticks his fingers through the back of the mask into the mouth part to look like a tongue hanging out and he wiggles them around. At the end, he caresses the dubya mask's "hair" and then dips it into a kiss, getting quite a few boos and a lot of screams. 'Sonic Reducer' is performed with Cheetah Chrome, the guitarist for the Dead Boys who penned the song and lives in Nashville. Sleater-Kinney help out on the last three songs and this is their last night opening. Steve Earle plays on 'Fortunate Son.' Ed does a lot of silly dancing and Mike has goofy moves ... the whole band is very tight.
Second song in, Love Boat Captain, the crowd picking up the chorus at the end... Sounded absolutely great, at least up amongst the fellow ten clubers.
Ditto Elderly Woman and the crowd's "Helloooo..."
Know Your Rights into Bu$hleaguer... ha. Awesome. And then into Alive, and the sound of those boos being twisted into cheers. Seriously, it's so strange to hear the intro chords of Alive played over such a conflicted crowd.
Rocking setlist, rocking guests. Cheetah Chrome setting a too fast pace for Sonic Reducer, and the boys concentrating to keep up. I actually really dig Sleater-Kinney, so that was an added bonus for me.
Good times.